Ideas for Promoting Disc Golf in new area/country?

[crystal haze]

I just played at a tourney in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, yesterday and the organizer asked me to help him identify some places to look for ideas on promoting disc golf. Let's just say that if you get a weird look in your local US community when you say you play, it's a weirder look in Russia.

Any threads, articles on websites, or tips you can share here?

He's had some success with converted ultimate players, but that's the only group that is kind of low-hanging fruit to feed the player numbers. He talked about approaching schools. One of the universities is already offering a PE section of ultimate, so they could add perhaps some DG intro there as well.

I was trying to think of what makes DG appealing different over other disc sports. Certainly someone doesn't have to be into mega aerobic sports like ultimate to find golf appealing. People that are not able or interested in running. It might even appeal to chess players because of the mental game. Perhaps outdoorsy people? What are some target groups and approaches?

Bring on the ideas!:clap:

 

[turbosteve]

I just played at a tourney in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, yesterday and the organizer asked me to help him identify some places to look for ideas on promoting disc golf. Let's just say that if you get a weird look in your local US community when you say you play, it's a weirder look in Russia.

Any threads, articles on websites, or tips you can share here?

He's had some success with converted ultimate players, but that's the only group that is kind of low-hanging fruit to feed the player numbers. He talked about approaching schools. One of the universities is already offering a PE section of ultimate, so they could add perhaps some DG intro there as well.

I was trying to think of what makes DG appealing different over other disc sports. Certainly someone doesn't have to be into mega aerobic sports like ultimate to find golf appealing. People that are not able or interested in running. It might even appeal to chess players because of the mental game. Perhaps outdoorsy people? What are some target groups and approaches?

Bring on the ideas!:clap:

Well Keen shoes is a big sponsor of disc golf and they make hiking shoes so targeting outdoorsy people would be a good idea. Targeting former Ultimate players is probably the best option. You could have all the players in the area invite their families and have some sort family team event.

 

[Mr. JY]

I suggest doing an Ace Race!

Fun for all regardless of experience, age, athleticism, whatever. Def family friendly.

Fun for bystanders. Or at least more fun than watching a round or clinic for a first timer.

Easy to setup, gets discs out into the community.

I wonder if Discraft would have any interest in getting into an emerging Dg market...

 

[AlexanderM]

Hi, thanks for answers. I'm the organizer of those course in N.Novgorod and I need more information about how to get people involved with discgolf. And I actually don't want to turn ultimate players Because ultimate community is too small here too.
I have a question for all of you. How did you get to know discgolf for the first time? What was the decisive factor to start playing discgolf.

Thanks.

 

[Prafeston]

Well I kind of got into it cause I was just bored and I have some friends that are pretty into it. Now I'm hooked.

I know a few of my friends started getting into it because it was a fun way to get some exercise. My local course is 5600+ ft which is a little over a mile. Ask me to walk or run a mile and I'd probably laugh at you...but if I'm playing disc golf I don't even think about it. Some of the holes also have some elevation which just gives you added exercise to climb. Not to mention the physical motions of throwing a frisbee.

Like someone already mentioned...getting a disc in the hands of some hikers/walkers and people just wanting to lose some weight would be a great start.

 

[turbosteve]

I got into it because my friends were playing and I started playing with them.

 

[Royal Hill]

Concepts and ideas to consider:

- Try a "Build it and they will come" approach: Build the course, start playing it yourself and with those early players, and let it grow naturally. If everything else that I list below fails, you will still have this. However, the personalities of the original players will greatly affect the player culture and mindset for a long time to come.

- Locally, we've found very little success in "direct to public" promotions. Especially with "Beginner clinics" and such. Instead we've found more success with "invite a friend to play with you" approaches. Discouraging to a new area, since it relies on a personal connection with an existing player. (which is in short supply with you). It seems that having a friend involved in introducing the sport makes a huge difference vs approaching disc golf de novo.

- Look at what is working in Finland. Make some contacts there through the DG community boards and pose to them whats worked in their culture setting.

- Ask for what you want: This is a principle that can be sometimes overlooked. If you ultimately want a local DG culture thats family friendly and includes women, start that way from the beginning. If you want it to be centered on playing for cash, or on alcohol or drug culture, then how you start makes a difference. If this is a clean slate, take time and decide what you really truly want in the end.

- Decide what your growth goals are. If you're looking at increasing DG exposure, that could be easy, as a new formed club can easily put themselves into large exposure by being at fairs and festivals much like scouting groups, or horse camps,archery groups, lacrosse,or ultimate can do to growth their sports. However, translating that into DG event attenders is much harder as you start asking people to come join you, vs you going to them.

- If you're looking primarily at increasing "total rounds played per week" on your new course, you will have to think differently and likely increase player base by slow invited by friend growth. You can spike growth by well timed events like tournaments or promotional events, but make sure they are well planned and the best impression of what you can be. Sometimes a poor impression lasts way longer than no impression at all.

- if you're brave and bold - find influential people in the sports community and win them over. It will likely pay large dividends in the future.

Above all, in a new area I want to encourage you to consider the principle I mentioned before that "you often get what you ask for".

So ask wisely.